Envelop.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER S. HARRISON, OF BELLEFONTAINE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO EMERSON V. MOORE, OF SIDNEY, OHIO.

ENVELO P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,179, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed March 17, 1902. Serial No- 98 ,5'76. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER S. HARRISON, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Bellefontaine, in the county of Logan and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to envelops made of paper or other suitable material and is for use with various classes of mail-matter, but more particularly that class of mail-matter known as first-class or letter mail.

In the ordinary construction of envelop now in use it is a simple matter for evilly-disposed persons to open the sealed flap by the process known as steaming and. other methods, remove the contents of the envelop, read or retain the contents, reseal the envelop, and forward it to the addressee.

The object of my invention is to prevent opening and rescaling envelops by so forming them that the envelop would be broken or injured, and thus show that it had been tampered with.

The advantages of my envelop will more fully appear hereinafter and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of the blank from which my envelop is formed; Fig. 2, a view of the envelop ready for use; Fig. 3, a View illustrating the first step in sealing my envelop; Fig. 4:, the next step; and Fig. 5 the final step, or the envelop sealed ready for transmission through the mails.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, A represents the front or address portion of the envelop; B B, the side flaps that are first folded over in forming the envelop; O, the lower flap, having the extended tongue D and the slit E. The outer edge of the fiap O and the base of thetongue D are provided with mucilegs or other suitable adhesive substance F to join the side flaps B B and the lower flap O in forming the bag portion of the envelop.

G represents the upper or closing flap of the envelop, having a slit 11 therein, and is provided with the usual mucilage or other adhesive substance I at its edge. y

In sealing the envelop the mucilage I is moistened, the tongue D inserted through the slit H in the upper flap G from below, and the flap sealed, as is ordinarily done. This is the first step in the operation, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The mucilage J on the body of the tongue D and K on its tip are then moistened and the tongue D turned downward, as shown in Fig. 4, the end of the tongue inserted in the slit E in the flap O, the tongue D and lower part of the flap C under the slit E subjected to pressure, so as'to cause the mucilage J and K to adhere, and the envelop sealed, as shown in Fig. 5.

It will be readily seen that to attempt to open the envelop surreptitiously by steaming or other means would result either in breaking the tongue D or so defacing it and the envelop as to indicate that the envelop had been tampered with, and thus prevent to a great extent pilfering of the contents of firstclass matter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. An envelop consisting of an openmouthed bag and a flap to cover the mouth of said bag, a tongue integral with said bag adapted to be inserted upward through a single slit in said flap then folded down and inserted in a slit in the bag and suitably secured in sealing the envelop, substantially as shown and described.

2. An envelop constructed with a slit in the upper and lower flaps, and a tongue integral with the lower flap, the lower flap being secured to the side flaps to form an openmouthed bag, said tongue being inserted through the slit in the upper flap and then through the slit in the lower flap when sealing the envelop, substantially as shown and described.

3. An envelop constructed with side flaps, a lower flap having a slit therein and an extended tongue, the edge of said lower flap and base of the tongue provided'with an adhesive material for securing it to said side flaps, the upper flap provided with a slit therein, substantially as shown and dethrough which the tongue is first inserted in scribed. 10 sealing the envelop, the body portion of said In testimony whereof I hereto affix my sigtongue provided with adhesive material to nature in the presence of two witnesses.

secure it to the back of the envelop, the tip WALTER S. HARRISON.

of the tongue inserted through the slit in the Witnesses:

lower flap and provided with adhesive mate- JACOB EISENSTEIN, rial on the side next the flap to secure itl FRANK DUNNAVANT. 

